Car retarding mechanism



April 12, 1932. G o s CAR RETARDING, MECHANI SM Filed June 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l AT ORNE 3 WM N I rW M Q m9 v 1W9--- m m @M! %N\ QN 9N RN Q Q m April 12, 1932. HOLMES 1,853,355

CAR RETARDING MECHAITJISM Filed June 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GRA NTHOL M55 A TTORNE )4 Patented Apr. 12, 1932 STATES GRANT HOLMES, OF DANVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ROIBT. HOLMES 85 BROS, INQ, OF

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CAR RETARDING MECHANISM Application filed June 18,

This invention relates to a mechanism for controlling the movement of a car by gravity on an inclined track and is designed more particularly for advancing cars step by step to a coal tipple. It is customary in the loading of cars to use a slightly inclined track down which the cars will move by gravity and to release and then block the wheels to permit the car to advance short distances as the successive portions thereof are loaded.

One object of the invention is to prov de a mechanism in the nature of a retarding device which will hold the car normally against movement but which, by the manipulation of a brake, will release the car and permit it to move the desired distances A further object of the invention 1s to provide such a mechanism in which the brake actuating device will control the .operation of a cable rewinding mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cable rewinding devicehaving means for causing the cable to be wound tightly on a drum and the successive windings of the cable packed tightly one against the other.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the mechanism is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the controlling mechanism embodying my invention, with the brake lever partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the drum and cable guard; Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the drum and cable guard. V

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this particular embodiment has been chosen for the purpose of illustration only and that the mechanism may take various forms without'departing from the spirit of the invention In that particular embodiment here shown, the mechanism comprises a drum 5 rotatably mounted on a frame 6 which may, if desired, be in the form of a housing to enclose the mechanism. A cable 7 is wound on the drum 5 and is provided at its outer end with means, such as a hook 8, for connecting the same with the car which is to be controlled, a portion 1928. Serial No. 286,317.

of which is shown at 9, and which is supported on a track 10 having sufficient inclination to cause the car to move over the same by gravity. The drum 5 is rotated in a direction to rewind the cable by means of an electric motor 11 which is connected with the drum through a train of gears 12. The motor is controlled by a switch which is not here shown but is enclosed within a switch box 13 and is operated by an arm 14 arranged exteriorly of the switch box.

The rotation of the drum is controlled by a brake which, whenset, will prevent the unwinding of the cable and thereby hold the .car with which the cable is connected against movement. In the arrangement here shown a brake wheel 15 is rigidly secured to thedrum at one end thereof and a brake band 16 extends about the brake wheel, has one end anchored, as shown at 1 7 and has its other end connected at 18 with-an actuating device or lever 19 which extends beyond the frame 6 and which is moved downwardly to set the brake and upwardly to release the brake. The brake actuating device or lever is actedrupon by suitable means which serves to automati cally move the same in a direction to set the brake, thus holding the drum against rotation at all times except when the actuating device is operated to release the brake. As here shown, the controlling means for the lever is in the form of a weight 20 which is adjustable along the lever to accommodate the same to the weight of the load, it being understood that the mechanism may be used with a single car or with several cars connected in atrain. The weight is here shown as provided with a set screw 21 to retain the same in its adjusted position. The lever may be manually operated to lift the same against the action of the weight and release the brake and I prefer to provide means whereby the lever may be operated at a point remote therefrom. In the present instance a cord 22 is connected with the lever and extends about guide pulleys 23 to the operators station and may, if desired, be provided with a handle such as a ball 24 foroperating the same.

The switch which controls the rewinding motor is preferably actuated by the brake lever 19 and to this end a link 25 is pivotally mounted on the lever and has in its other end portion a slot 26 to receive a stud 27 carried by the switch handle 14. This slot is of such a length and so arranged with relation to the stud that initial movement may be imparted to the lever sufiicient to release the brake, or partially release the same, without throwing the switch but the continued movement of the lever will cause the switch arm to be operated to close the switch.

In operation the car or string of cars is placed in position on the track and the cable connected therewith by means of the hook 8. The weighted brake arm normally sets the brake with suflicient force to hold the car or cars against movement by gravity. As the loading of the car progresses the operator releases the brake, by exerting a pull on the cord 22, and permits the car to advance the de sired distance and then releases the cord to permit the brake to be automatically set and check the movement of the car. This operation is continued until the car or cars are fully loaded and then the car or train is blocked to hold it against movement, independently of the retarding mechanism, and the brake lever is actuated to release the brake and permit the cable to slack off. The ground man then disengages the hook from the car and drops the hook on the end of the cable on the ground. WVhen the cablehas been disconnected from the car the operator imparts a further upward movement to the brake lever suiiicient to cause the switch to be actuated to close the circuit through the motor, which then operates to rotate the drum in a direction to wind the cable thereon and when the rewinding has been completed the mechanism is ready for connection with another car.

The mechanism is also provided with means for causing the cable to be wound tightly on the drum with the successive windings in snug engagement one with the other. For

this purpose I have provided a cable guide which is capable both of vertical movement and of movement in a line substantially parallel with the axis of the drum and which is so arranged and controlled that when the cable is not under load, or slack, theguide will elevate the adjacent portion of the cable so that the weight thereof will exert a pull on the cable as it is wound onto the drum, thus causing it to be wound tightly, and, further, the guide will be moved transversely to the cable by the action of the windings one against the other so as to maintain the cable at approximately right angles to the drum, thereby preventing the tendency of the windings to pile up one upon the other or to separate so as to leave spaces between adjacent windings which would interfere with the next layer of windings. In the present construction this is accomplished by pivotally mounting at each end of the drum an arm 28, these arms being preferably movable about the axis of the drum and being here shown as journaled on the bearings for the drum shaft. A shaft 29 is carried by the outer ends of the arms and has slida-bly mounted thereon a sheave 30, the periphery of which is provided with a groove to receive the cable. The arms 28 are acted upon by springs 31 which tend to elevate the shaft and cable guide or sheave and these springs are of sufficient strength to lift the sheave and elevate that portion of the cable which is adjacent to the sheave when the cable is slack or not under load, but when the cable is under load the spring will yield to permit the. sheave to move downwardly so that the cable may extend in a substantially straight line from the drum to the car. It will be apparent that when the cable has been disconnected from the car and the sheave has been elevated the cable will be moved substantially to the position shown in Fig. i

and the weight of that portion of the cable between the sheave and the point of contact of the cable with the ground will exert a pull upon the portion of the cable which is being wound onthe drum, thus causing it to be wound tightly thereon. As the cable is wound onto the drum the guide or sheave 30 will move along the shaft 29 and because of the weight which is imposed on the sheave, by that portion of the cable which is supported thereby, the sheave will seek that position on the shaft nearest the point where the cable comes in contact with the drum, thereby maintaining that portion of the cable which is between the sheave and the drum at substantially a right angle to the axis of the drum, and causing the successive windings to pack tightly on the drum, regardless of the position of the outer portion of the cable. Further, the lag or frictional resistance offered to the movement of the sheave on the shaft, due to the weight of the suspended cable, will cause each succeeding winding to be pressed firmly against the preceding winding and in this manner the cable is wound smoothly and tightly about the drum. If desired, the flanges at the end of the drum may be provided with beads 32 which will displace the cable as it completes the lastwinding in one direction and start the next layer of windings in the opposite direction.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limit-ed to the details thereof as various modifications to connect the same with a car, a brake wheel connected with said drum, a friction member movable into and out of braking contact with said brake wheel, an actuating device for said friction member, means acting normally on said device to move the same in a direction to cause said friction member to operatively engage said brake wheel, said actuating device having means for moving the same in the other direction, the initial movement of said device in said other direction serving to move said friction member to an inoperative position, and means controlled by the continued movement of said device in the last mentioned direction to cause said drum to be rotated in a direction to wind the cable thereon.

2. In a. mechanism for controlling the movement of a car by gravity on an inclined track, a drum rotatable about a fixed axis, a cable Wound on said drum and having means to connect the same with a car, a brake wheel connected with said drum, a friction member movable into and out of braking contact with said brake wheel, an actuating device for said friction member, means acting norm-ally on said device to move the same in a direction to cause said friction member to operatively engage said brake wheel, means operable from a point remote from said device to causelthe same to move said. friction member to: an inoperative position, power operated means for rotating said drum in a direction to wind the cable thereon, and means for controlling the operation of said power operated means.

3. In a mechanism for controlling the movement of a car by gravity on an inclined track, a drum rotatable about a fixed axis, a cable wound on said drum and having means to connect the same with a car, a brake wheel connected with said drum, a friction member movable into and out of braking contact with said brake wheel, an actuating device for said friction member, means acting normally on said device to move the same in a di rection to cause sa1d friction member to operatively engage said brake wheel, power operated means to rotate said drum in a direction to wind the cable thereon, and means operable from a point remote-from said drum to cause said actuating device to move said friction member to an inoperative position and to control the operation of said drum by said power operated means.

f. In a mechanism for controlling the movement of a car by gravity on an inclined track. a drum rotatable about a fixed axis, a cable wound on said drum and having means to connect the same with a car, a brake wheel connected with said drum, a friction member movable into and out of braking contact with said brake wheel, a motor to rotate said drum, a device to control the operation of said motor, and an actuating device operatively connected with said friction member that the initial movement of said actuating device in one direction will cause said frict1on member to be moved into an inoperative position and the further movement of said actuating device in the same direction will actuate said controlling device to cause said drum to be rotated in a direction to rewind the cable thereon- 5. In a mechanism for controlling the movement of a car by gravity on an inclined track, a drum rotatable about a fixed axis, a cable wound on said drum and having means to connect the same with a car, a brake wheel connected with 'said drum, a friction member movable into and out of braking contact with said brake wheel, a motor to rotate said drum, a device to control the operation of said motor, and an actuating device operatively connected with said friction member and having means tending to move the same normally in a direction to cause said friction member to operatively engage said brake wheeh t-he initial movement of said actuating device in the opposite direction serving to move said friction member to an inoperative position and alo st motion connection between said actuating device and said motor controls ling device to cause the latter to be actuated after said friction member has been moved to an inoperative position.

6. In a mechanism for controlling the movement of a car by gravity on an inclined track, a drum, a cable connected with said drum and extending therefrom in an approximately horizontal direction, a guide mounted adjacent to said drum for movement lengthwise thereof and arranged in'supporting engagement with said cable, means acting on said guide to elevate the same and the adjacent portion of said cable when the latter is slack, a motor to actuate said drum in a direction to rewind the cable thereon, a device to control the operation of said motor, a normally operative brake to control the rotation of said drum in a direction to unwind said cable, and means to actuate said brake to release said drum and permit said cable to be unwound and to then actuate said motor controlling device to cause said drum to be rotated in a direction to rewind said cable thereon, said guide being supported in an elevated position during the rewinding operation, whereby the weight of the outer portion of said cable will cause the inner portion thereof to be drawn tightly about said drum.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature hereto.

GRANT HOLlWE-S. 

